The Gypsy Morph

infobox Book |
name = The Gypsy Morph
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = First edition cover
author = Terry Brooks
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = The Genesis of Shannara
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Del Rey Books
release_date = August 26 2008
media_type = Print (Hardcover)
pages =
isbn = ISBN 978-0345484147
oclc = 191922662
preceded_by = The Elves of Cintra

"The Gypsy Morph" is the third, and final, novel in Terry Brooks's fantasy trilogy entitled "The Genesis of Shannara", which bridges the events of Brooks' "Word & Void series" with his "Shannara" series. It takes place in an apocalyptic world around the year 2100 and immediately follows the novel "The Elves of Cintra". It details events during the Great Wars, a historical conflict referenced frequently in the "Shannara" books. It debuted at #2 on the "New York Times" Best Sellers Fiction List. [http://www.terrybrooks.net/archive/2008/09/2-nyt-bestseller.html]

Plot summary

Story commences in a nuclear command center with Wills assessing the events leading to his current situation. He begins to contemplate launching the rest of the missiles.

Next Angel Perez is found by Kirisin and her wounds tended too. Together with Simralin began making their way back to the Elven city of Arborlon. Angel parts with the others and remains with Larkin Quill to properly recuperate while Kirisin & Simralin take a balloon towards high ground above Arborlon. They discover that a demon army lies in wait below the Elven city.

When they arrive back at the city they are smuggled to the chambers of the High Council, where they were allowed in by Maurin Ortish to confront the King and the High Council members. In attempting to explain that they did not kill his daughter, Kirisin met with much resistance from the King and various members of the council. It was not until Kirisin established that Tragen was not an Elf, and several members of the council were killed in a by the demon before Kirisin finally killed him, that that the king acquiesced to the true version of events. It was agreed that the elven city, along with the Ellcrys, would be placed in the Loden elfstone and transported to safety.

Meanwhile the Ghosts had reunited with Hawk, Tessa and Cheney. Hawk healed Logan Tom who was then visited by the lady of the word and instructed to assist the elves in bringing the Loden to safety. So they parted ways with the Ghosts moving east to meet up with Helen Rice’s camp at the bridge over the Columbia River and Logan Tom heading South-South East to meet with his guide, an owl named Trim, then onto the enclave of the elves.

Angel had spent approximately a week being treated by Larkin Quill at his cabin and had heeled well. She had decided that she would leave soon to join Helen Rice. In a rare unguarded moment she bathed with her staff out of reach. Larkin Quill had suddenly sensed danger and moments later the Klee attacked from under the cabin, through the floor. Larkin Quill was taken by surprise and killed while Angel fought the demon off. The reality was the Klee simply decided to walk away.

Logan Tom had come across the balloon that had returned Simralin and Kirisin to the Cintra. Simralin found him and he found himself experiencing deep feelings fore her, something which had never happened before. She escorted him to Arborlon, where preparations were being made to place the city within the Loden the following day and flee before the demon army. The King and 1000 hunters were remain as a rearguard to slow down the inevitable onslaught. Logan Tom, and several hunters hand picked by Simralin, including Praxia, were to guard Kirisin and the Loden during the escape. When the onslaught commenced, Simralin remained to guide the King’s hunters through the passes. Kirisin gave her the blue elfstones to use as a weapon.

The story followed Kirisin’s attempted escape with Logan Tom and Praxia et al. Good time was being made when their AV broke down. Logan was close to finishing his repairs it when skrails were upon them. Several of the elves were killed and Kirisin was taken by the skrails, who flew him to Calyx, who was leading the demon attack on the elves. Kirisin had released the Loden as the skrails lifted him into the sky, which was found by Praxia. Logan Tom entrusted its safety with Praxia while he went after Kirisin.

As the Ghosts moved eastward Tessa told Hawk that she was pregnant. After some slow progress the Ghosts spotted a militia road block in the distance, which they decided to go around. After some time they saw some militia coming towards them and heard shots fired. A heavy mist developed as they hastened to escape and the ghosts on foot became separated from those in the AV. Sparrow had fallen off the roof of the AV, and Panther and Cat went to find her. All of the members on foot heard horrible screams. Hawk, Tessa, Cheney, and Bear then stumbled upon the Klee, which attacked them, knocked all but Hawk out, but lost him when he used his magic blend in with the surroundings. The Ghosts eventually reunited and made their way to Helen Rice’s camp. But the Klee tracked them.

Logan Tom was guided to Kirisin’s location by Trim. Kirisin had been interrogated initially by to Calyx, but more successfully by Findo Gask who communicated through the camp fire. He was bound when Logan Tom found him. Logan had decided not to use his magic during the rescue, but rather his old hunting tactics. When Findo Gask arrived to find Kirisin escaped he nailed Calyx and all charged with guarding the elf to trees and marched the army passed to see the example that was made of them.

After reuniting with the Ghosts at Helen Rice’s camp. Logan Tom and Angel Parez went in search of the elves. They stumbled across the battlezone between Praxia’s group of elves and rogue militia. All appeared to be dead. When the found Praxia’s body they found that she had managed to seize one of the militia’s automatic weapons and kill several of them. She had multiple wounds herself. When searching her body for the Loden, finding it in her hand, she opened her eye’s, whispered her final words to Logan Tom and passed away. Logan and Angel returned to the camp, where they made preparations to defend (and blow) the bridge against the inevitable arrival of the demon army.

The refugees had begun to move on when the demon army attacked the garrison guarding the bridge. After fierce fighting and a failed demon trick of conjuring an image of using elven prisoners as a “human shield” the bridge was blown. However, Fixit was lost with the bridge.

After battle Logan Tom went in search of the Klee, but instead found Simralin who recounted her journey, after which they declared their love for each other. She was not able to use the blue elfstones in battle. The Klee, meanwhile, as a sandstorm had developed, had drawn Hawk out of beyond the safety of the caravan of refugees. Hawk froze, believing he has not defense. Candle, sensing the danger, told Bear, Sparrow and Panther, who, with Cheney, left the caravan in search of Hawk and Tessa. Candle also alerted Angel and together the group succeeded in destroying the Klee.

Cataylia decided to leave the caravan of refugee’s lead by Hawk and Helen Rice. Panther decided to go after her. The ghosts wished him well, knowing it would be the last time they would see him and Hawk gave him Cheney to help track Cat. Panther found her, and after some discussion, the trio continued north.

After the sandstorm, Logan and Simralin headed after the caravan. The caravan, meanwhile, came to a dam across the north-south branch of the Columbia river. The decision was made to leave the vehicles and cross it. As most children had crossed, the demon army led by Findo Gask had caught up to the refugees. A rearguard held the army off as long as possible. As Angel attempted to hold the army while the last of the defenders tried for their escape she received three puncture wounds from spears. Then Hawk, who had not crossed, used his magic to open the earth up and swallow most of the army.

As any of significant use of his magic weakens him, Hawk fell unconscious. Findo Gask, who stood separate from the army, took this opportunity to attack bother the Gypsy Morph and the Knight of the Word in their weekend state. He began to battle Angel, who was too weak to resist him.

However, the battle had also been watched by Logan Tom and Simralin. Having told Simralin to stay clear, Logan had ran across the flats and sent a jolt of Word’s fire into Findo Gask before Angel could be finished off. Logan believed he had him down and kept surging the fire into him, but Findo Gask had eluded the brunt of it and countered. After a brief respite and recognizing Logan, Findo Gask attacked again and was too strong. Only the magic of the blue elfstones, conjured by Simralin, saved him. She had not listened and remained close behind Logan Tom. She had managed to wield it and threw Findo Gask off guard and Logan promptly finished him off.

The caravan continued eastward for several weeks towards the mountains. More equipment was found along the way in the city of Spokane and groups of people, lizards, spiders, and even a few surviving elves had joined the group. When they found the valley, all settle in, the elven city was released from the Loden and Hawk prepared for the day when he would have to complete his task. On the day Hawk walked to the highest point of the pass to the valley and used his magic to generate a mist that enveloped the valley, form protection from the outside elements, not allowing anything in or out. When it was formed, it swallowed him up.

The story moves back to Adam Wills at Deep Rock. He still cannot find the pass code to escape the center. He believes he will never find it, doubts whether there was ever a pass code at all. He routinely converses with his deceased colleagues. He contemplates launching a missile. They urge him on. He does do. It was quite easy. Nothing seemed to change. He launches all of them.

The story now discusses the effect of the nuclear weapons on the world and how the wall of mist was ready to stand against it, an impervious shell protecting the valley within. “The wild magic would endure until its time was finished, and then it would go back into the ether and wait until one day it would be born again into the world.” When it was all used up and drained away entirely all that was left behind was the boy, blood and bone. He awoke. The magic was no longer part of him. The boy was now a man. He went back down into the valley in search of his life.

Characters in "Gypsy Morph"

Characters additional to earlier books:

*Major Adman Wills, an officer at the Deep Rock command center
*Abramson, an officer at the Deep Rock command center
*Perlo, an officer at the Deep Rock command center
*Anders/Andrews, an officer at the Deep Rock command center
*Aronez, an officer at the Deep Rock command center
*Graham/Graves, an officer at the Deep Rock command center
*Calyx, the demon leading the attack on the elves of the Cintra
*Dariogue, demon charged with executing & mutilating Calyx and his accompanying skrails.
*Unnamed girl who approached Logan Tom for help while he was traveling south-southeast to assist the elves.

External links

* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/ Terry Brooks official site]
* [http://www.terrybrooks.net/genesis/gypsymorph-chap1.html Chapter 1 of "The Gypsy Morph"]